Department of Public Defense moves into Dexter Horton Building
Two divisions from the Department of Public Defense (DPD) are moving into leased space at the Dexter Horton Building next week, the first step in what will eventually become a consolidation of DPD’s downtown Seattle staff into one location.
The Director’s Office – about 30 people located on the second and fourth floors of the Chinook Building – and the Associated Counsel for the Accused Division – about 75 attorneys, paralegals, investigators, mitigation specialists and support staff located in the Prefontaine Building – are moving to Dexter Horton. Their first day in their new building will be Monday, Dec. 12.
Note: DPD’s phone numbers will not change. The new addresses for the two divisions are:
Other divisions are expected to move into Dexter Horton over the course of 2017. Eventually, DPD hopes to have all of its employees who represent clients in the King County Courthouse or Seattle Municipal Court – or who provide support to those who represent clients – located in the Dexter Horton Building.
The move to Dexter Horton, a historic building that is also LEED-certified, makes enormous sense, said Lorinda Youngcourt, DPD’s director. The building is located at 3rd Avenue and Cherry Street in downtown Seattle, one block from the King County Courthouse and much closer than the buildings some of DPD’s divisions currently occupy. It will also enable the department to continue to build a stronger sense of camaraderie, promote a higher profile in the criminal justice community, establish more collaboration and experience some of the other benefits that come with a single department.
“This move will strengthen the department and support client-centered defense,” Youngcourt said. “Clients now have to navigate a complex system to locate their attorneys, some of whom are far from the courthouse. Our location in Dexter Horton will make it easier for clients, and I believe it will be better for all of us.”
Since its creation more than three years ago, DPD has been a far-flung department, with staff in several different offices in downtown Seattle. The ACA Division, for instance, is in Pioneer Square; another division, the Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons, is at 14th and Jefferson, near the Youth Services Center. The consolidation into one downtown building marks a milestone for the department, enabling the divisions to be clearly separated – required by conflict of interest rules that govern law practices – yet also to work more collaboratively when needs and opportunities arise.
The relocation has also been an enormous undertaking, made more challenging by a tight timeline and the complexities of moving legal offices, Youngcourt said. She praised the Facilities Management Division, KCIT, the Budget Office, DPD’s leadership team and others who have put in long hours and considerable effort to ensure a smooth transition. The Executive Office and County Council have also provided important leadership and support, she said.
“Many people in several different parts of the county have worked with us to make this complex transition happen. I’m grateful for their hard work, considerable skill and ongoing support,” she said.
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New Business Resource Center website
On November 23, the Business Resource Center (BRC) debuted a brand new SharePoint-based website, replacing the current website located on the KC Intranet.
Designed with the needs of its customers in mind, this new site provides a user friendly navigation to myriad resources to help customers of the BRC get easy access to reference materials, trainings and access to the BRC’s Oracle EBS and PeopleSoft systems.
Visit our new home on SharePoint. Remember to change your bookmarks/favorites so that they point to this new site!
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Snow, ice forecast for tonight, more snow possible later in week
More snow as well as black ice could be on the way over the next few days with nighttime cold temperatures expected to drop into the low 20s in some areas.
Snow showers will return late this evening, first in the North Interior and then gradually southward after midnight. The snow level will also lower throughout the evening and snow may accumulate at sea level overnight, with up to 1 to 3 inches of snow. Warmer daytime temperatures will melt snow on Wednesday but the potential for black ice will continue as nighttime temperatures remain in the low 20s until Thursday night.
Make sure you have a plan for your commute and for your family, and expect slippery or icy road conditions. Please let safety be your guide when making commute decisions. Where allowed, employees may be able to telecommute or take a day of accrued vacation or comp time instead of reporting to their normal work location today. Check with your supervisor for more information.
First responders and other mission critical staff are expected to report to their work location as usual. This includes, but is not limited to, corrections officers, 9-1-1 call center operators, emergency personnel, security staff, and certain senior managers. If you are not sure of your designation, please contact your supervisor.
Schools: Make a plan to take care of your kids as some schools may close early while you are at work, or open late or not at all. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.
Goat Hill Garage: If you park at the Goat Hill Garage or work at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle, snow or ice could lead to the closure of roads in the vicinity. The City of Seattle has provided these alternative driving routes of the area (see two-page map of routes):
Leaving Goat Hill Garage if Jefferson Street exit is closed:
Route to I-5 or I-90
- Sixth Avenue to Yesler – turn left (east) on Yesler
- Yesler to Boren – turn left (north) on Boren
- Boren to James – turn left (west) on James
- Continue on James to I-5 ramps
Alternate route to I-90
- Sixth Avenue to Yesler – turn left (east) on Yesler
- Yesler to Boren – turn right (south) on Boren
- Boren to Rainier Ave – continue on Boren to Rainier Ave
- Continue on Rainier Ave to I-90 ramp
HR Policies: When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather.
Stay Informed: During an emergency make sure you’re getting the latest King County information on how you are affected, at work and at home:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it in your phone now!).
- Check your King County email.
- Go to www.kcemployees.com.
- Contact your supervisor.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@kcemployees, @kcnews, and @kcmetrobus.
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at www.kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
Superior Court employees: Information will be provided on the Superior Court website, or by calling the following hotlines for recorded updates on the status of work locations.
- Seattle courthouse/NJB employees: 206-205-6747
- MRJC courthouse employees: 206-205-6746
- Youth Services Center employees: 206-205-6747.
District Court employees: Call the employee Information emergency telephone line at 206-296-6820 for recorded information, or check the District Court website for updates on operational status.
Sheriff’s Office employees: All operations that are staffed on a 24-hour basis, or staffed by commissioned detectives or deputies, are considered essential, and employees scheduled to report to work in these operations are required to report to work despite emergency conditions or closure of other county operations. Refer to the King County Sheriff’s Office Inclement Weather Policy.
Resources for travelers
- Sign up for Metro Transit Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcmetrobus, see RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader)
- Sign up for King County Road Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcroads)
- Sign up for King County Water Taxi Alerts (text, email)
- Visit the King County My Commute page
- Visit the Eye on Your Metro Commute (blog during peak weekday commutes).
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Social Media Spotlight: KCIT Facebook
The Department of Information Technology (KCIT) provides services to residents, regional partners, local government agencies, and to King County departments and employees.
Follow KCIT on Facebook today!
Click here to view all King County social media pages.
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Snow could impact commute Monday morning and evening
With snow forecast for many parts of King County beginning Monday morning, make sure you have a plan for your commute and for your family, and expect slushy or icy road conditions for the Monday morning commute.
King County is currently under a Winter Weather Advisory until noon Monday which means that periods of snow could cause traffic difficulties. The Advisory will be elevated up to a Winter Storm Warning for Monday afternoon through late Monday night which means that there is potential for snow, sleet or ice accumulations to impact travel.
Intermittent snow showers are occurring throughout the region with trace amounts up to 2 inches possible above 500 feet. Snow accumulation may be possible up to 4 inches from North Seattle to Everett and eastward on Monday night with snow levels falling to sea level. The Puget Sound Convergence Zone is the most likely area to experience snow accumulation.
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Featured Job: Project/Program Manager IV
Closing Date/Time: Sun. 01/15/17 4:30 PM
Salary: $42.56 – $53.95 Hourly, $88,524.80 – $112,216.00 Annually
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Location: King County Courthouse – 516 3rd Ave, Seattle, Washington
Department: Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention
Description: The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is currently seeking a Project/Program Manager. This position provides technical expertise, strategic planning services, and leadership to senior management and multi-agency teams in the areas of criminal justice research, planning, conducting complex analysis in support of departmental projects (e.g. annual budget) and county wide data development, legislative analysis, detention services and technical contracting, policy development, and county-wide criminal justice initiatives. This position also facilitates the development, implementation, and/or modification of many of the department’s management information systems. This position reports to the Chief of Administration.
Learn more about this position or view all available jobs.
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How is the Office of Emergency Management preparing for climate change impacts?
Join us in a monthly Lunch and Learn Series to discuss Climate Preparedness and what King County is doing to prepare.
- Thursday, December 8, 2016 from noon to 1 p.m. – King Street Center, Sixth Floor, Rooms King/Chinook
All King County employees are welcome. For more information, please email Jessica Engel or call 206-477-3132.
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King County recognized as leader in national sustainability
Image courtesy of STAR Communities
King County’s work in enhancing the sustainability and livability of local communities has been recognized for national excellence by an independent certification program.
STAR Communities granted King County a Certified 4-STAR Community Rating and recognized the County for national excellence in sustainability.
“King County embraces a comprehensive approach to sustainability, coordinating our environmental, land-use, transit and cultural resources to help build strong communities,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “We also look for opportunities to expand equity and economic opportunity in all that we do. We are proud of our partnership with STAR Communities and our 4-STAR Community Rating, which recognizes our continuing efforts to ensure the region will be a great place to live, work and play for generations.”
STAR (Sustainability Tools for Assessing & Rating) Communities is the nation’s leading framework and certification program for evaluating local sustainability, encompassing social, economic, and environmental performance measures.
Read more in the full article at StarCommunities.org.
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Kudos to employees who worked over the Thanksgiving holiday!
We value and appreciate the many employees who gave up their holiday and time with family and friends to serve our King County community. Whether you are a jail guard, sheriff, medic or other employee, we THANK YOU for your commitment.
Your promise to serve King County on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and all other 362 days and nights of the year highlights your dedication to public service and commitment to creating a warm and welcoming home for all.
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Thank you for making this recognition possible
Dear fellow King County employee,
Each day, you help set an example of what a creative, forward-thinking government can accomplish.
You do it not for the public recognition, but for the satisfaction of knowing we’re making our community a better place to live. Still, it’s nice when our work is recognized, particularly on a national stage.
Tonight at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., I will receive a Public Official of the Year award from Governing magazine. I will be joined by the Governor of Massachusetts, the Mayor of Denver, and a few other officials from across the country who are delivering innovative solutions to the greatest challenges of our time.
It is an award I proudly share with all King County employees. After all, none of the accomplishments that this award recognizes would be possible without our talented, dedicated staff members who turn our shared commitment into results.
At a time of uncertainty at the national level, we continue to make progress toward being a more just, inclusive region where all have the chance to achieve their full potential. We are embracing the future, upholding the American promise of hope, freedom and opportunity for all.
I invite you to watch this brief video that reflects on what we have achieved together, and how we will continue to lead the way forward.
Thank you helping make this recognition possible.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine
King County Executive
Employee News 